Date: May 3rd

Location: Courthouse Defense Lobby No. 4

Apollo began sweating, "Oh... is that all?"

Pheonix realized how bad everything he had just explained actually sounded, "It could be worse"

Athena returned from her warm-up run, "I'm ready to go, boss!"

"Is this really neccessary?", Pheonix turned to look at a slouched but skeptical Val, "I don't see the point in running around the courthouse"

Athena held her thumb up, "Gets rid of pre-trial jitters!"

"I see...", they could all tell he was on his more... forward personallity, "As long as it is effective, I will not criticize it. You do feel less... jittery, right?"

"Less than I did before I took off"

"Excellent, it is time for the trial. Good luck to you all"

As he walked into the courtroom, Apollo began sweating, "Should he really be telling us that?"

Pheonix shook his head, "No, but I should. Apollo, I've told you everything I know and you know the crime scene better than I do. You're on lead for today"

"What about you?"

"There's something I need to check on. Don't worry about it, I know you'll do fine. Good luck, Apollo!"

As Pheonix sped away, Athena became confused, "Why would he leave without telling us where he's going?"

Apollo sighed, "Because he's Pheonix Wright, c'mon, our client's waiting"


Date: May 3rd

Location: Courtroom No. 4

The judge looked across the room, "We will no reconvene for the trial of Valentine Heart. Is the defense ready?"

Apollo nodded, "The defense is ready"

"Mr. Justice? You'll be leading the defense today?"

"That I will"

"Very well then. Is the prosecution ready?"

Prosecutor Heart nodded, "I am ready"

"Good, then will the prosecution kindly give the opening statement?"

Heart nodded, "The reason we had to reinvestigate was due to a small area of doubt: the time from midnight to five minutes after. This window would've allowed anyone in the building to access the room. The prosecution's object today is to show that this area of time held no possibilities for anyone to have commited the crime"

"Very well, will the prosecution call it's first witness forward"

"The prosecution would like to call to the stand Mr. Rielly Goodman, the man who operates the building"

The mountain of a man stood at the stand, "Hello!"

Heart seemed unphazed by his congeniality, "Please state your name and occupation witness"

"Your name and occupation! Just kidding, my name is Rielly Goodman, I am the owner and head of Goodmans Mental Health Clinic"

"Good, now, state what it was you saw on the night of the murder"

"Hm... I showed up at the building at midnight. I made my way to my office, but oddly enough, the lights were all off. I thought nothing off it, but as I passed the white room, thought I heard something. I looked inside, and I saw someone holding a syringe. I would've entered the room, but I had a previous engagement that I couldn't miss, so I was gone by 12:03, but I did see someone by walk in the back door as I drove off"

"As you can see, this testimony proves that it couldn't have been anyone other than the defendant"

"HOLD IT!", Apollo slammed his desk, "This witness has clearly stated that he saw 'someone', he didn't name the defendant, it could've been anyone!"

"Cease this! The witness stated that in the time he was in the building, nobody was near enough to the room to have entered the white room"

"He clearly stated-"

"Concerning the figure by the back door, that entrance is exactly a minute away from the white room, even if one is running. So you see, whoever this person was, they couldn't have disturbed the white room without being caught by our first witness, Mr. Lars. This person is irrelevent."

"... The defense would like to cross examine the witness"

"The prosecution has no objections"

Apollo looked to Athena, "Please tell me something was off in his voice"

Athena nodded, "How'd you know?"

"I didn't

"Mr. Wright has taught you how to make a mean bluff. Here, let me work my magic", Athena started up the program and looked it over, "Mr. Goodman, you seem to have an overwhelming sense of fear right now. What is it that's got you so worked up?"

"Do I look worked up?"

Apollo caught it, "Then explain the sweat there by your brow. I think what's bothering you is that engagement you were talking about in your statement"

He couldn't hide it, "G-Guilty as charged... it was a rather... serious meeting"

"Just what was this meeting about?"

Heart had heard enough, "Cease this! Your honor, this has nothing to do with the case!"

"HOLD IT!", the courtroom turned at once to look at the defense's chair, where Val stood with a dark expression, "Mr. Goodman... I know just as much as you do that hidding things is bad for you"

Mr. Goodman sweated, "... Val..."

"I love you like a father figure, Mr. Goodman, but you know what tomorrow is. I don't have time for games. Tell them, or I will. I have no reason to keep it quiet right now"

Goodman scratched the back of his head, "Well... you're right. I owe it to you... the reason I'm so worked up is... that my clinic isn't doing so well. I'm a terrible businessman... the fact is, I'm nearly bankrupt. I was going to meet with a banker about my loans. I have one way to repay them, but it's not easy... I've been working overtime for months just to keep up, but at least now I know I'll eventually be able to dig myself out if it"

"So that's what was bothering you so badly...", Athena watched the noise go down, "Okay, now that we've got it down to a normal level, this emotion matrix can be done right. Mr. Goodman, which is more surprising, seeing a weapon or hearing a noise?"

"Why, seeing a weapon, of course"

"That's odd, because your surprise from saying you heard a noise is greater than when you said you saw the syringe, even now that you know it's the murder weapon, why is that?"

Prosecutor Heart scoffed, "That's simple, the walls of the building are supposed to be soundproof. I'm sure anyone who heard a sound in the dark, alone, in a building with soundproof walls would be surprised"

"HOLD IT!", Apollo interrupted, "If the walls are soundproof, then where did the noise come from?"

"Cease this! It was obviously just a figment of the witness's imagination. There was no noise, he merely thought there was. Understandable, considering the fact that he was in a mental hospital in the middle of the night with no lights whatsoever"

"Is that all? Did he really just hear it because he was nervous? How can I prove he heard something...", Apollo had a lightbulb moment, "Mr. Goodman, what exactly was it that you heard?"

Goodman thought about it, "Hm... it was a loud thud sound. Like something heavy hit the ground"

"Hm... hypothetically speaking, if the door was open... could you have heard anything going on inside the room?"

"Well, if the door was open, then surley that would be the case, but it was closed. The electronic lock would keep it shut"

"Would it? I think not. Maybe you don't know this, but the power was out while you were in the building, that's why all of the lights were off"

"The power was out? No, that can't be possible, I tried to open the door, but it wouldn't open"

"That could easily be done if one of the bodies was in front of the door"

"No, I'm certian that I saw four people through the door"

"Um... four people? I thought you said you saw someone..."

"I said I only saw one person holding a syringe, but there were a few people in the chairs. All three of them"

"Mr. Goodman, say that again!"

"All three of the chairs had people in them?"

Heart picked up on it, "If you intend to point out the fact that there were four chairs, I've already looked into the matter. Yes, there was a chair that had been moved, but that is hardly of any consequence to this matter, the witness saw four bodies total. That includes the defendant's. Unless you can provide another one, I suggest you stop stalling"

"... The defense can provide another body!"

"If you simply plan to say 'It was the real murderer's', don't bother, I won't accept anything short of real proof that there was someone else in that room"

"Damn it... he's reading my plays almost as fast as I can think them up... I need something... what would Mr. Wright do...?", Apollo threw caution to the wind, "The defense can provide evidence that another person was at the scene of the crime!"

"Oh, really? I would love to see it then, just what is this evidence?!"

"C'mon, think! It had to be something small, just big enough to slip by Heart's nose... don't over-think it! Just prove that someone else was in the room and you're not out of it yet!", it clicked in his head, "Take that!"

"What is this, a zodiac calender? I hope for your sake this isn't a joke"

"It's no joke. While I don't think these predictions are right, this callender does hold a certian truth"

The judge looked it over, then smiled, "It says here on my birthday... 'You will be very lucky!' I will now accept this piece of evidence into the court record!"

"T-Thank you, your honor... anyway! A forensic test was performed on the wall behind this calender, showing that there was blook behind it!"

Heart looked confused, "Just what is that supposed to mean? I had no such test done, anyhow"

"It was a special request to the police, performed on my behalf"

"Did you also happen to identify whose blood it was? Or when it had gotten onto the wall? If not, then this little splotch is irrelevant, it could've been done at any time"

"Is that so?", Val asked with a smile, "The white room isn't called the white room for no reason. I is thoroughly cleaned every day, for sanitation and security's sake. They don't use bleach, but if such a stain had been discovered, it would instantly be reported. You checked the records, I'd bet, did you find any such record of a bloodstain or altercation in the white room?"

"No... I didn't"

"Thank goodness you're so thorough, otherwise, the stain could be dissmissed, but since the white room is cleaned thoroughly at seven every night, that can't be the case. But this still begs the question, 'When did the blood get on the wall?'. Apollo, what do you think?"

Apollo looked at the picture of the crime scene, "Well, it couldn't have been during the murder, the blood of the victim's is in certain spots, but none of it reaches a person's waist. I doubt it was before the murder, if it was, the prosecution would've found a witness to testify about it by now, considering how thoroughly he examines the case. That would mean it was left... after the murder?"

"That's some sound logic"

Prosecutor Heart seemed unamused, "And what is the point of this? The fact of the matter is, there were three unconscious bodies, and one that was wide awake! "

"HOLD IT!", Apollo extended his finger, "The defense has just proved the fact that another person was in the room!"

"What are you babbling about?!"

"If the blood wasn't created during or before the murder, it would have to be done after, so tell me, after wiping the blood away, whoever put it there... why would they put such an obvious poster over it? That would be like puting dirt back into the ground after digging a hole, just to put a sign next to it that says 'Hey, it's not like someone dug a hole here! Don't bother checking!'. If you're insisting that he's the killer, then you're insisting he put the blood on the wall, since he was the only one in the room up until that point. But that's nonsense! He was guarding the crime scene, if he had wiped the blood away, he wouldn't have let anyone put that poster up, especially where he supposedly wiped blood away!"

Heart seemed shaken, "I-Impossible!"

"Sorry, but it isn't just possible, if Valentine was the killer… the poster wouldn't be there!"

Heart was sweating, but he seemed to have regained his momentum, "There is someone… who claims to know something about this poster, and it's origin…"

Athena looked to Apollo, "Hey, Apollo… if he's got a witness, why does he look so pale?"

Apollo realized the reason as the color drained from his own face, "Ugh… I think I know who the witness is…"

Heart stood up straight, "The prosecution would now like to call Persephone Hadds to the stand"

Apollo sunk underneath the bench, "Please pretend I'm not here… I beg of you"

Athena nodded, "Got it"

The girl entered the room, looking like a normal dark-haired beauty in her large, straw hat, "Good day! Would you like me to tell you your fortune?"

The judge shook his head, "No, thank you, I already read my horoscope for today"

"Should I be impressed or worried…?", Athena tried to let her mind settle on the matter.

Heart tried to keep things running smoothly, "Please state your name and occupation"

Persephone shrieked and pulled her hat over her head, "Yes, sir! Please don't hurt me! One who draws the death card!"

"Witness… I promise I won't hurt you"

"I don't believe you! The sinful apple revealed your true nature to my eyes! I won't be deceived! Oh, if only a kind, truthful man would save me!"

Athena couldn't help but look down as Widget beeped, "Hey Apollo! You're up, champ!"

Persephone looked over to the defense's bench, "Apollo?! Are you really there?!"

Having been ratted out, Apollo had no choice but to stand up, "Hey… Persephone"

Persephone dove over the bench to hug Apollo tightly as they fell to the floor, "My lover! Partaker of my forbidden fruit! Oh, how you've plagued my mind since last we met! I have done nothing but search the stars for the next time we would meet, and oh, glorious joy, I found the lover on the top of the deck!"

"Persephone… you're supposed to be a witness right now… please get off of me"

Persephone walked back over to the witness stand and re-adjusted her hat, "As you wish, fair lover. I am Persephone Hadds, I am a fortune teller"

Heart cleared his throat, "Very good. Now, please inform the court of what you saw on the night in question"

"Hm… well, I was sleeping in my room, then I suddenly jolted awake! All of my instruments had been placed into a message that read 'Protect Valor!'. I didn't know what to think, but then my spirit horn told me to visit the room of secrets when the moon was highest in the sky! When I arrived, it was dark and I was terrified to see that Valor had been knocked out onto the floor! I was very scared, but I placed something on the wall to protect him! He was safe, so I went back to my room and rested"

The judge wasn't sure what to say, "… Prosecutor Heart… are we to believe this woman saw a spirit?"

"Of course not. Valor is simply a nickname the witness uses for the defendant. The important part is what the witness left, Ms. Hadds, the object you left to protect the defendant, would you care to tell us what it is?"

"Yes, it was my first zodiac calendar. It holds great sentimental value, but that makes its power stronger, so I had to leave it"

"You see, your honor, this poster was simply left by this witness while the defendant was unconscious. This makes the defense's point moot, as the defendant couldn't have protected the scene as it claimed. The defense has lost the only leg it had to stand on"

"HOLD IT!", Apollo objected, "I haven't cross-examined the witness yet!"

"Cease this! If you could've proven him innocent, you should have done it by now!"

"Regardless, I have the right to cross-examine her!"

"… Rgh… then get on with it!"

"Persephone…what was it that woke you up?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, I just jolted up, like my door had slammed. It's too bad I hadn't met you yet, or I'd have been dreaming about you, Apollo…"

"O-On to the next question! So… what is a spirit horn?"

"A magical device that can hold the voice of both the living and the dead!"

Valentine groaned, "It's a cell phone, for Pete's sake!"

Apollo tried to let Val's anger just pass him by, "Where is your cell-… uh, spirit horn now?"

Persephone shrugged, "I don't know. I left it in my room, but it was gone when I returned"

"Is this the reason you were so scared?"

"Yes, I was sure I had angered the spirits greatly"

"Why did you think that?"

"Because I didn't go when the spirit told me to! I was late…"

"How late?"

"Well, the spirit said midnight, but I fell back asleep, so I didn't go until about one"

"O-One?! Did you happen to see Mr. Lars in the hallway?"

"No, but I noticed that he ran right past my door with a phone in his hand. I thought that was weird, since the walls don't let any reception in"

"W-Wait! Say that again!"

"You can't get any reception through the walls of the clinic, you'd have to have a landline"

"Your honor, this new testimony changes all of the facts of the case as we know them! If the witness had no reception, then neither could the defendant! That would mean the cellphone that was submitted earlier in the trial gains a whole new meaning!"

"Cease this!", Heart crossed his arms, "Are you forgetting something? The witness clearly stated that she received a message on a phone of her own! This contradiction can easily be resolved if you take a look at the structure of the rooms of the patients. There is a single window in each room. Simply opening one would be enough to get reception"

"Do you have any proof that a window was opened?!"

"It just so happens that I do, not that I necessarily need to, as the possibility would still exist. But why not? There's proof of it in this photograph right here", Heart displayed a photo for everyone to see; a clean room with a bed in the corner, with a nearly spotless floor. The only unsightly portion of the picture was three leaves, just underneath the bed. Heart smiled, "Your honor, as it was earlier proven, the rooms of this establishment are cleaned daily, therefore, the leaves must've entered the room that day. Most likely from the window, which is less than ten feet from tree that happens to grow at nearly the same height"

"Hold it! Th-"

"Cease this! If you're trying to undermine my logic, don't bother. The leaves are from the same type of tree, which happens to be the only of it's kind in the area. Unless you have a better explanation for them, I suggest you quit while you're behind"

Val scoffed, "Sheesh, Horus, arrogant much? If you had examined the leaves closely, you'd find that they've all been flattened, not to mention the fact they have my fingerprints on them. If I recall correctly, one of them has a ketchup stain in the middle. Those aren't leaves that just blew in, I collected them from outside and used them as bookmarks"

"Tsk. That just leaves us with the possibility of the window being opened"

"Does it? I don't see that at all"

"How so?"

"Your men examined the window, why don't you tell me exactly what they found, aside from my perfectly neat room?"

"They didn't find anything"

"Nothing? Nothing at all?", Apollo leaned forward.

"The window was clean"

"OBJECTION!", Apollo smiled, "That's proof that the window was never opened!"

"Really now? A simpleton could wipe down a window"

"Well, obviously any idiot can use a rag, but what about an idiot without a rag?"

"Are you insinuating that there was nothing he could've used to wipe the window down with?"

Val smiled, "Why would you need to insinuate a fact? Mr. Justice is making a statement"

"Oh, please! The defendant could've wiped it away with just his shirt sleeve!"

"*sigh*... Horus, let me explain it to you the simple way. If I had tried to wipe away a print, there would be a small smudge on the window, a spot where the cleaning material would be disturbed if viewed under a blacklight. Any forensic scientist would spot it and report it in a heartbeat. So, unless I cleaned the entire window using the cleaning materials normally used, I couldn't have opened the window"

"Then that's what you did. You stole some of the cleaning supplies and cleaned the window"

"Did I now? And just when would I have done that?"

"Before you left to go murder the victims...", Heart turned pale.

"Really? Because according to the witness accounts, I was in a therapy session for most of the day, and after that, I was out of the building until nine. Unless you happened to be in the area at the time, I couldn't have been in two places at once, so it couldn't have happened then. Try again"

"Then it was after the murder!"

"Really? Because I recall a couple of witnesses saying I was crumpled up in a ball in the white room until the police arrived. Once they got me, I couldn't have returned to my room. Since we're taking about the phone that proves I'm a cold-blooded planner, care to tell us where you're at on tracking down it's purchaser?"

"The police have no leads as to the buyer of the burner phone"

"And they won't find one. This royal pain of a problem is a piece of cake to solve when you look at it... from another angle"

Heart began sweating, "Val... you don't mean..."

Apollo thought about it long and hard, "Another angle? This phone has been nothing but questions that can be solved since the second it was brought in! It's like someone decided to drop a contradiction bomb into the evidence bag! Wait a minute... too many contradictions... don't twist the facts, Apollo, twist the logic... and if you follow the logic this phone's been giving... that's it!"

Apollo pointed at the judge, "Your honor! The defense would like to make a special request!"

The judge lifted his eyebrow, "What is it?"

"One of the pieces of evidence in this trial is a piece of false evidence, and the defense can prove it!"

The judge nodded, "I hope so, false evidence is a serious crime. I hope you can prove your claim, Mr. Justice"

Apollo sweated, "Crap... me and my big mouth..."

Val looked at Apollo with confidence, "Well spotted, Apollo, now, if you don't mind, I have a date tomorrow, and I intend to make sure to meet it, so please, blow the case open"

"Okay, he's hinting towards something, something that has to be off about the phone that's still off. Don't overthink it... if the phone is fake, then so is the message that came with it. Which would mean... got it!"

Heart stood tall, "Figured it out, have you, Justice?"

Apollo nodded, "Your honor, what date is the phone displaying, at this very moment?"

The judge looked at the tiny screen, "It says here... May 4th"

"As I thought. The time stamp for the text that was received would be thrown off then, meaning that the actual time the message was received was not the day of the crime, but the day before it! While the prosecution may not have noticed it, this piece of evidence is clearly unrelated to the case!"

"I wouldn't say it's unrelated... per say", the courtroom turned to Val, whose hair was covering his eyes, "That phone... it's got my prints on it, but nobody else's... that makes it more than just a random red herring. This evidence was used to frame me, and I know exactly who did it"

"Cease this!", Heart slammed his hand on his desk, "Val! This can't be possible! If I had even the slightest bit of proof she was invo-"

"Shut up. It's been clear that she had a hand in this for some time. The fact there is no proof is the elegant proof itself. Looks like the queen of crime is taking a step into the dirtier area of lawbreaking. The person who left this phone in my room... was Bloody Mary"

Athena sweated, "Um... there's no mirrors in your room..."

Apollo slapped his face, "Not that Bloody Mary! Bloody Mary, the woman who made off with over eighty million dollars in cash after robbing a cake company!"

"Oh... that Bloody Mary..."

"It's true. The woman who robbed one of my many baking businesses has apparently framed me for murder now as well"

"Cease this!", Heart slammed his desk again, "Stop leading the court! There is no proof that you did not commit the crime!"

"Proof I couldn't have killed anyone? How about proof that someone else did? Would that shut you up?"

"If you could provide it, I would happily oblige you"

"How about we start with the actual crime itself? Now that I'm in better shape?"

"Then by all means, testify"

"Gladly. On the night in question, I went to the white room, the reason is unimportant. Once there, I started discussing a personal matter with my parents and my therapist. Shortly after we began, all of us fell asleep, having been drugged. I was awoken by the sound of screaming. Semi-conscious, I fought a man armed with a syringe and managed to draw his blood. Inevitably, he overpowered me and left me unconscious. That is all I remember until the police arrived"

Heart shook his head, "I don't believe it, but it's your job to determine it's accuracy, attorney"

Apollo nodded, "Mr. Heart, you said you were drugged, how exactly did the drugs enter your system?"

"I ingested them by taking a sip of wine, under the supervision of my parents, of course. Unfortunately, by the time I smelled the oddity in the glass, my vision was starting to go"

Prosecutor Heart held up a bottle, "There was a bottle of drugged wine found at the scene, but there's no proof the defendant drank any, the particular drug in this wine is very special. It cannot be detected in a person who has bled more than a certain amount of blood"

"Yes, the injury I sustained rules out the test for the drug"

Apollo rubbed his forehead, "You said you woke up to the sound of screaming, any idea who the person screaming was?"

"Yes. I would recognize the yell anywhere"

"So who was it?"

"Seer Stan. He had probably wandered out of his room and started having a fit in the hallway. He often has them during the night"

"By fit, you mean..."

"He saw something that frightened him, something he couldn't comprehend. After that, he probably snapped out of it and went back to bed"

"I see... and just how did you draw blood from the assailant?"

"I bit through his glove, and then spat out the blood onto the wall behind me. It wasn't long after that he beat me unconscious though, so I imagine the blood was wiped away"

"One last question, did you happen to see the face of your assailant?"

"If I had, I would name him, but I know he was a man, even half-asleep, I can put up a hell of a fight. This guy wasn't trained or anything, but he had some muscle on his bones, and he knew how to punch"

"So, you have no idea who this person is?"

"I have suspicions, but I don't have anything solid, especially since whoever it was managed to sneak in while the lights were out. But they were definitely taller than I was, and they were muscular"

Heart crossed his arms, "Sorry, but without any proof that this person actually existed, the court has no obligation to acknowledge the existence of supposed third party"

Val smiled, "You want proof? I got your proof right here", Val threw his shirt off to reveal two scars, one large one across his back, and one much smaller over his heart, "Ignore the one on my back, it's the one over my heart that's of interest"

"That's proof of nothing. Having been placed on suicide watch in the past, you are easily capable of stabbing yourself"

"Normally, I wouldn't have any choice but to agree with you. However, that would beg the question of what I used to stab myself"

"No it doesn't. It's obvious that you hid the weapon"

"Really? So where did I hide it?"

"If I knew that, I would be presenting the weapon"

"You turned the entire place upside down, and you didn't find it. I couldn't have hidden it on my person, a doctor looked me over while the police searched my clothes, you know that I couldn't have had it. Not on my person when I entered the building, either, because, as you so fondly point out, I was once under suicide watch and am searched heavily every time I return from a trip"

"Regardless, you bare the wound with no proof of a third party"

"Oh, I know exactly what weapon was used to stab me. It's a one-of-a-kind blade, after all. I'm not sure exactly where it is right now, but I would recognize this blade anywhere, even if both of my eyes were shut, the feel of it would be more than enough. And I dare say that I got a good feel of it as it rammed into my chest"

Apollo raised his eyebrow, "So what is it?"

Heart shook his head, "He's referring to a blade he saw in a museum while studying abroad. It was one used by King Primidux during the Cohodopian Revolution, crafted in a moving wagon, it was deformed in a manner that made it both impossible to replicate and a national treasure, as he used it in battle to unite his nation. It was worth billions, until it was stolen"

Val smiled, "Just in case you were wondering, brother, I can also prove that it was that blade which stabbed me"

"I doubt that. The blade's been missing for four years today, it hasn't been heard of or seen since that time"

"I would insist you compare the shape of my wound with that of the blade, but that would require a three-dimensional replication of the blade"

"Something we can't possibly have"

"Not a physical one, no, but there is a digital replication of it, and I can tell you where it is"

Heart started sweating, "You... can't be serious..."

Val frowned and looked at his brother seriously, "Horus... I didn't want it to come to this... but there's no time. The replication is-"

"HOLD IT!", the entire courtroom turned to watch as Pheonix burst through the door, holding an object wrapped in cloth in his hands, "The defense has proof that there was a third party who assaulted the defendant"

Val's eyes went wide, "That..."

Pheonix removed the cloth to reveal a blade that was curved and bent, but with a sharp edge, "This is the sword of King Primidux! It has already been examined by a forensic team, and traces of blood were found on the end of the blade, up to the depth of the defendant's wound. As we speak, the doctors that examined the defendant's wound are working with forensics to see if it was indeed this blade that created his wound"

Val was in shock, "You... got it... but how?"

"A friend of a friend is an Interpol agent who is capable of getting any object she's after, and she's very good at sniffing out treasures. It just so happens that this particular object was found inside a warehouse owned by a Mr. Newman"

Heart looked at Pheonix with wide eyes, "Newman?!"

"That's right, he's been indicted for stealing it as we speak, this also proves that he was there at the scene of the crime at the time of the murder. And thanks to the work of my esteemed partners, this proves that Newman is the murderer. He even has a motive, something that can't be said for Mr. Heart"

"And what is that?"

"86.3 million dollars. The exact worth of the defendant's current business, which would be left to his lawyer, as he has no written will at this point in time. All of that money, and he not only had the weapon used to stab the defendant, but it just so happens that one of his small factories is missing just the kind of chemicals a person would need to make the poison used to murder the victims and the sedative that was used on them, not to mention, the defendant"

"... I see..."

The judge was wide eyed, "Mr. Wright! A dramatic wrap-up, as always. But I must say, Mr. Justice, you've done a good job today as well. Prosecutor Heart, if you wouldn't mind confirming all of this"

Heart nodded and began making several phone calls. Once he was on his final call, he sighed, "Thank you", he hung up, "Everything he said has added up, your honor. I have confirmed it with Interpol along with every other police officer that assisted him over the course of today. He's right, the defendant is in the clear, and Newman is now our prime suspect. I can say with confidence that the idea that idea of this defendant being the culprit is ridiculous. There isn't a man with any sense at all that could provide a good reason for the defendant to commit the crime. Newman had the world to gain, while the defendant... had the world to lose"

The judge nodded, "Then, I hereby pronounce the defendant, Valentine Heart...NOT GUILTY. Court is adjourned"


Date: May 3rd

Location: Defense Lobby No. 4

Apollo sighed, "So my job was the grunt work... again..."

Phoenix rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry, but I didn't know about the evidence we needed until the last minute. I got a call from-"

"An anonymous man using a voice scrambler", Val finished, "There's a short list of people that would do that, and I'm fairly sure I can pick out the only one who was capable of doing it at the time"

Athena raised an eyebrow, "So who was it?"

"An old friend. Leave it at that. I'll see all of you tomorrow to discuss your payment"

"Really? You practically ran the trial yourself..."

"No. I owe you all a debt of gratitude. Additionally, I am currently unemployed, and I need a job. Are there any openings at your firm?"

Phoenix rubbed the back of his head, "We really don't need a cleaner or an assistant or anything like that..."

"I meant as a lawyer"

"What?"

"My brother isn't the only one with a law license. Although, most people who create college-level tests tend to keep quiet when a ten-year-old aces them with ease. I can't start today because... well, I have a previous engagement"

Athena cocked her head to one side, "Yeah, what is it today that was so important that you would admit to murder to get to it?"

"If you must know, I have to be in surgery today by seven o'clock and not a second later. Actually, I should be heading to the hospital now. If that's all-"

"HOLD IT!", everyone was surprised to see Prosecutor Horus standing before them, "One last thing I need you to clear up before you leave, brother"

"You're talking about what Seer Stan saw, aren't you? He claimed to have seen me stab the victims, but that didn't come up in the trial"

"So, did he see you do such a thing?"

"What would I have to gain from making sure there was a heavy focus on the object used to stab the victims? It wasn't like the blade proved my innocence... or did it? I don't know, slightly insane and all, or at least, legally"

Horus nodded, "They were dead when they were stabbed. How could a person tell that in the dark?"

"Breathing. You, of all people should know that I can hear well enough to discriminate the breathing of two people in the same room. I dare say, if I had nothing to lose... I could've stabbed the bodies as quickly as possible before being overpowered. But I had a business to lose, and a lot of money, didn't I?"

Horus smiled as his brother walked away, "Looks like that therapy was working"

Athena raised her eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"His condition is partially physical and partially psychological. Now he's got his mind back in order... all he needs is his body"

"Wait, then the surgery-"

"Exactly, he's going to wake up tomorrow... and he's going to be the brother that I lost four years ago, with any luck, that is"

"So... tomorrow we'll see what Val is really like?"

Horus sighed, "We can only pray"

"Speaking of praying, you almost died out there when he said he had a digital model of the sword, why was that?"

He sweated a little bit, "It doesn't matter, there's no proof that he had a three dimensional model of the sword anywhere"

"Hm... I think there was"

"No, there wasn't"

"I don't need to be Apollo to tell me you're a terrible liar, I can hear the difference in the pitch of your voice, even if it is subtle. It's the leaves, isn't it?"

"What?"

"You hesitated to bring the leaves up, and they're the only part of his room that sticks out. If anyone ever found them, he could've just said the window was open at some point and they blew in, then he could dispose of them, right in front of anyone, even a cop. It's a perfect cover. All he would have to do is hide a microchip in one of the leaves"

Horus awkwardly smiled, "No... that's absurd..."

"Don't worry, you denied everything, your secret is safe with me"

"What secret?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about"

Horus nodded with relief, "Neither do I"

Phoenix hung his head, "So we just defended a criminal..."

Apollo rubbed his chin, "Hold up, Horus, according to your record, this is the first time you've ever lost in court, yet you made a numerous amount of mistakes that no veteran ever would. Why is that?"

Horus rubbed the back of his head, "I specialize in grand larceny and major thefts, this was my first murder case"

"How were you so calm during your first murder case?! Most people would be freaking out!"

"Simple, I knew he was innocent. I can recognize a stab wound made by a twisted blade like that anywhere. I've seen it before"

"Yet you didn't say anything?"

"I had no proof. I have to be impartial as the prosecution, personal theories are a no-no"

"... So this was just an elaborate set-up-"

"Of Newman trying to make sure he got rid of Val. Naturally, he knew I'd make a mistake, so he had someone plant a piece of false evidence at the scene"

"The phone"

"What he didn't count on was the true identity of the thief he hired"

"Wait... you know who that Bloody Mary chick is?"

"No. As a prosecutor, I'd have to arrest her on the spot if I met her. But many con men that I've interrogated have told me there's a rule between them. That grand thieves always stick to it, because if you break it, nobody will ever work with you again"

"Which is?"

"Rule number one; never sell out a fellow con to the cops, ever. If you do, you better hope you get the death penalty, because every con in jail will make your life a living hell. I wonder if Bloody Mary ever worked with the guy who originally stole the sword?"

"Originally?"

Horus smiled as he turned to leave, "Food for thought. He'll be in the Hickfield clinic tomorrow at noon. He should wake up shortly after his arrival. If any of you feel like coming, that is"


Date: May 4th

Location: Hickfield Clinic

Athena was excited, "I wonder what he's really like!"

Apollo snored away on the chair in the hallway while Phoenix sighed, "I guess Trucy worked him hard with those jobs she finds for him that have nothing to do with being a lawyer"

"He's out just as hard as Val is", the two of them looked to see the snowy-haired boy passed out in drug-induced state, "It's kinda exciting, waiting for the mysterious man to awaken from the coma, to see what really lurks behind that child-like smile and that dark scowl"

"It is a little suspenseful, but I'm a little more concerned about getting paid..."

"Excuse me, sir, madam, is this the room for Valentine Heart?", the two lawyers turned to see a beautiful woman in a light blue dress holding a closed umbrella, "I believe he is supposed to be resting in this room, is that correct?"

Phoenix raised his eyebrow, "Who are you?"

She smiled and touched two fingers to her lips, "Oh, goodness, where are my manners? My name is Anne Twionnette. I am Valentine's... well... he and I are very close"

"She's his fiancé. Honestly, Anne, you and that horrible shyness...", the comment had come from a girl with black hair, dressed in very... little punk-themed clothes, "Sup? I'm Marilynn, Marilynn Gunroe. Val's an old friend of mine, how'd his surgery go?"

Athena smiled, "No problems! He should be up in no time"

Anne frowned, "I do hope he is all himself again..."

Marilynn patted Anne on the shoulder, "Don't worry, Anne, it'll all be fine"

Athena frowned, "You must've had it hard, since his personality split and all"

Anne waved her hand, "No, no, I've always loved my dear Val, even when he is not entirely there, he's always been very caring and loving. But I can't say that I haven't missed him, the way he used to be..."

Marilynn frowned, "We all missed him. But today he comes back, right?"

"We can only hope", Horus (who appeared out of nowhere) was rubbing his chin, "Anne, it's good to see you again. I hope your trip from England wasn't too bad"

Anne shook her head, "Not at all, there was a mix-up and I was flown on first class"

Marilynn sighed as she walked over to Horus and put her arm over his shoulder, "I shoulda' made you come pick me up, the drive here was horrible..."

Horus raised an eyebrow, "You only had to drive a few miles"

"But the traffic never seemed to end... I took a nap between lights"

"Then you must've been very comfortable for several moments"

Marilynn pouted, "You're no fun"

"I came to visit my brother, not to be fun"

Athena pointed, "I think he's awake!"

Everyone gathered around the bed as Valentine started to move, turning his head slowly. When his eyes finally opened, his vision was blurry, and the light hurt his eyes, so he held his hand over his eyes, "Ugh... where am I...?"

Anne grabbed his free hand, "You're in the hospital, love. You've just come out of surgery"

"Anne... the surgery... I remember now... I think the sedatives are still affecting me. Is... is there anybody around?"

"Yes. Your lawyers, Horus, and Marilynn are all here"

"Is that all...?"

"Yes"

With absolutely no warning at all Valentine pulled her in an held her head close, so their lips were locked passionately. After a very long, silent moment had passed, Anne pulled herself away from him and was able to breath again, her face redder than a tomato soaked in red food dye and dipped in ketchup. Valentine smiled, "I've been waiting four years to do that... god, it was worth it"

Marilynn pulled Anne aside, who was practically catatonic from shock. Horus smiled, "It's good to see that you're back"

Valentine waved his hand at his brother, "Don't say that. You know that what I just said is one hundred percent true and that you're just saying that to mess with Phoenix and Athena"

Athena was confused, "Is Anne going to be okay?"

Horus scoffed, "Anne is so shy, she's been engaged to him for over eight years now and she still gets nervous telling other people about it. A passionate kiss in front of total strangers? If she's even able to talk in the next hour, it'll be the second miracle today"

Valentine smiled, "I love her and I haven't been in my right mind for the past four years. Normally, I would be delicate and try to be more discrete... but after that second year, I decided that the second I was right again I would show her that I loved her and I didn't give a damn if the world knew"

"Well... that makes sense"

"That reminds me, please tell me that you have that ring that I gave you"

"Which ring?"

"Horus if you don't remember the ring I gave you... exactly five years ago... or if you lost it, I will personally off some part of your face that will make it much easier for Marilynn to identify you. That way, I'll be satisfied, and she won't use the fact that we're twins as an excuse to flirt with me, just so she can annoy Anne"

Horus smiled, "I was just making sure you remembered it"

"Yeah, sure, you did, so where is it?"

"Here", Horus pulled out a ring with a red diamond the size of a robin's egg, "I've been holding on to it, just like you asked"

"It was stolen four times"

Horus sweated, "Whaaaaat? Nooo, It's been safe with me!"

"Dude, you just used four extra 'a' in that what and two extra 'o's in that no. Even people who are drunk can tell you're lying at this point"

Apollo shouted from the hallway, still asleep, "Whoever's lying, please stop, my wrist hurts, it's so pathetic!"

"Is that Apollo? Why is he in the hallway"

Phoenix rubbed the back of his head, "He's sleeping... he was tired after chasing cats all night"

"That guy is the one that can tell you're lying, Horus. Hell, what do I care? You have it now", Valentine pulled his brother in and hugged him, "If anything, I need to tell you that I'm sorry. After all, I did go completely overboard and... said those things that I said"

Horus smiled, "I'm just happy to have you back, the whole you"

"That doesn't make what I said any less hurtful. I'm gonna make it up to you, I promise"

"No, I can't ask you to do that"

"Please, I already have something that you could never resist lined up, just the way you like it"

"No... you couldn't have... not in your condition"

"Oh, please, condition or not, it's in my blood and you know it. I was working on this whenever I had the time to during my... recovery. You just wait, one week from now, you will be up to your eyeballs in it"

Horus went wide-eyed, "No... you're joking and you know it! This is a cruel lie to get my hopes up!"

"If it was, I'd let you cut off all my hair and dye it pink. In exactly one week, you will be so happy that you will cry, and I'm not talking a single tear, I'm talking full-blown waterworks. You will weep, my friend, and I will be damned if you don't"

Phoenix raised an eyebrow, "What are you two talking about?"

Val smiled, "I book Horus a trip... to England"

Horus was speechless, "England?!"

"You see, Horus loves to see the world, and his favorite thing in the world is souvenirs. So, I booked him a wonderful flight to see London, and... I even got him a private tour of Buckingham palace"

"You did not!"

"I did"

Phoenix was amazed by the lack of psych locks, "How on earth did you manage something like that?"

"A successful businessman always has connections. Speaking of business", Val lifted a suitcase from the side of his bed, "I believe that I owe you this, Mr. Wright"

Phoenix took the briefcase and opened it. As the holy glow slowly blinded them, all three of the Wright Co. lawyers began to drool over it. Apollo was able to speak first, "I don't ever think I've seen this much money before..."

Athena was next, "I'm not surprised it woke you up, Apollo, this much cash is worth more than the whole office building..."

Phoenix tried to regain some slight form of composure, "Tha... ha... so... much... money..."

Val smiled, "So, Mr. Wright, would it be alright if I joined your company, as a lawyer?"

Phoenix nodded, unable to pry his eyes away from the cash, "Of course, there's a little paperwork to fill out..."

"I already filled it out. It's on your desk. You don't mind if I start next week, do you? There's a few things I need to sort out between now and then"

"That's fine. You know where the office is, right?"

"Yes", he climbed out of the bed, "I've had enough excitement for one day... Anne?"

Anne seemed to have been shaken out of her trance, "Y-Yes?!"

Val smiled as he used the wall to steady himself, "Could I trouble you to drive me home? I don't think I need to be driving right now..."

Anne smiled and placed his arm over her shoulder, steadying him as he walked, "Of course, it can't be helped"

Marilynn scoffed as the two of them left, "Up to your eyes, eh? This, I gotta see"

Horus looked at her seriously, "You take everything as either a challenge or an invitation"

"Well, I do have some business to take care of in London. We might run into each other while we're there"

Phoenix looked up when he saw psyche locks form around Horus, "We'll have tea sometime during the day. But we won't be able to go to Buckingham together. It's a shame, I think you'd have liked to see the crown jewels"

"It is too bad that we can't see them", her sigh made her seem sincere, but all three of the lawyers felt a slight disturbance as she spoke. None of them made a comment as the two walked away.

They collectively shrugged it off, what did they care? They got paid for once!


Date: May 4th

Location: Hotel ? Room ?

Anne sat Valentine down on a chair, "You really should be resting"

Valentine smiled at her, "And miss out on a single second of seeing you? Not a chance. Besides, I still have one more phone call to make before everything will be set up"

Anne sighed, "I still can't believe you set it up"

"With four years and nothing else to do?"

"... Never mind. Now I'm surprised you don't have anything else planned"

"Who said I didn't? There's a whole slew of jobs, just ready for the taking. Although, I'm curious as to how Newman tricked you"

"... He threatened to break rule number one on you"

"I knew he was scum, but really, holding me hostage over you? I'm glad the bastard's going away for live. I had half a mind to kill him when I saw him"

"Yet you didn't"

"If I did, I wouldn't get to see you again, now would I, my bloody princess?"

She smiled slyly, "I guess not... my crazy genius"

Val let a smile slowly creep across his face, "My brother will get the first job, since his birthday is first. After that, it'll be our turn. I can picture it now, no calls"

"No cares"

"Just you, me, and a world full of possibilities, ripe for the taking"

"Oh... I'm almost afraid to ask where we're going first"

"Why not Rome? I hear that San Gennaro has a collection of treasures that are nearly priceless. They would be wonderful to see, don't you think?"

"You don't mean look"

"Why on earth would I look at a priceless treasure when I've already got one of my own? I just want a reason to put the two side-by-side, so I can see just how stupid the man who claimed it to be priceless really is"

"Valentine Heart, I dare say you've kept in tough with your roguishly charming qualities"

"And you, Anne Twionnette, have remained as shy as ever when it comes to other people"

Anne turned red, "I-I just don't feel comfortable when people stare at me like that, that's all"

Val smiled evilly as he whispered into her ear, "Oh, they haven't got a clue. You would eat them up for breakfast and then crush them with just the wave of a finger. You're so cute, the way you tense up in front of others..."

Anne smiled equally with an equally devious grin, "But now it's just the two of us..."

Val sighed, "And what a wonderful blessing that is"

"So, which are we going to talk about first? The Crown Jewels or that priceless collection? I'm rather curious as to how you intend to take both"

"Taking them was never the problem. The problem was an alibi. But I've solved problems like that in the past"

"The old Jeckyll 'n Hyde bit?"

"More like the glassless mirror bit. There's nothing there..."

"But that means there's something there. You and that cheeky mind of yours..."

"I try my best to impress. There's just one little snag in this whole mess"

"Pray tell, what's the snag?"

"There's a certain... Inspector in London. Last time I met him he let me off on the counta' he was impressed by my work. He told me next time he'd take the case. Not that I'm worried about getting caught, we'll all have iron-clad alibis... but he'll pick the case apart and he'll know it was me"

"That's the rub about great minds, they think alike, they do"

"No... this guy'll pick it down into the nitty gritty and follow me back if he so sees fit, just to let me know he's onto me. It's a shame he's with Scotland Yard, otherwise he'd have made a great criminal"

"Val, you only praise someone like that when you mean it... now I want to meet this Inspector... what was his name?"

"Layton. Alfendi Layton. He won't stop me from doing what needs getting done, but I have a bad feeling that he's going to visit the Wright & Co. Law offices very soon... Enough about that, we've got things to do and calls to make"

"I love it when you talk crime with me, love"

"I love it more when we commit them, love", and with that, the duo began making calls and setting things up.


Date: May 4th

Location: Wright Anything Agency

Phoenix went over it in his mind again, trying to pick out what was bothering him so badly. Val couldn't be a criminal, right? Phoenix had poured himself over the files he'd requested on Val, and the kid was clean. Trucy noticed her father's dispair, "You okay Daddy? You look like something's on your mind"

Phoenix sighed, "It's our newest lawyer... I have a bad feeling about him"

"Then don't hire him"

"No... I can tell that he would make a good lawyer, and he's given no reason whatsoever to doubt his judgement... but something feels wrong..."

"Well, hire him, and if he does anything sneaky, we'll catch him in the act and stuff him into my magic panties! After that, we'll deliver him to the cops!"

"That sounds like a plan, Trucy", Phoenix smiled, but he was more than just a little concerned that all this good fortune was about to come crashing back down on him.

Little did any of them know... the whole world was about to come crashing down on them...

END


NOTE: This is, indeed the end of this particular story, however, this story will not be the only one in the series.

The next one will be titled 'The Switched Turnabout', and yes, I will be the author of it. And by the way, if any of you out there have never played Layton Brothers Mystery Room, I would highly recommend doing so. Even if you hate everything I've ever written on this sight, it's an awesome game and I think you're robbing yourself of an experience that is well worth it. By worth it, I mean about seven bucks. Seriously, they have the app for any smartphone or tablet. Get it, it's good. If you get it and hate it, review me saying you hate it. I won't be able to give you a refund, but hey, ranting calms people down, and is sometimes good for you.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and I look forward to making the next one! Review me a shout-out if I'm taking too long! I promise I'll (probably) get back to it quick!